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OBJECTIVE: To characterize clinical and epidemiologic features of SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals detected through both passive and active surveillance in the US. ANIMALS: 204 companion animals (109 cats, 95 dogs) across 33 states with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections between March 2020 and December 2021. PROCEDURES: Public health officials, animal health officials, and academic researchers investigating zoonotic SARS-CoV-2 transmission events reported clinical, laboratory, and epidemiologic information through a standardized One Health surveillance process developed by the CDC and partners. RESULTS: Among dogs and cats identified through passive surveillance, 94% (n = 87) had reported exposure to a person with COVlD-19 before infection. Clinical signs of illness were present in 74% of pets identified through passive surveillance and 27% of pets identified through active surveillance. Duration of illness in pets averaged 15 days in cats and 12 days in dogs. The average time between human and pet onset of illness was 10 days. Viral nucleic acid was first detected at 3 days after exposure in both cats and dogs. Antibodies were detected starting 5 days after exposure, and titers were highest at 9 days in cats and 14 days in dogs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results of the present study supported that cats and dogs primarily become infected with SARS-CoV-2 following expo- sure to a person with COVID-19, most often their owners. Case investigation and surveillance that include both people and animals are necessary to understand transmission dynamics and viral evolution of zoonotic diseases like SARS-CoV-2.
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Purpose of Study: Report a rare case of onset of seronegative, juvenile dermatomyositis likely potentiated by Covid-19 infection Methods Used: Case analysis and literature research Summary of Results: A 7 year-old previously healthy male presented with 3 weeks of progressive, bilateral upper and lower extremity weakness, difficulty swallowing, voice changes, periorbital edema, and rash. Recent history was notable for diagnoses of COVID-19 one month prior to presentation and streptococcal pharyngitis 2 months prior to presentation. Notably, there is a family history of systemic lupus erythematosus. On examination, the patient demonstrated bilateral periorbital swelling with purple discoloration of the upper eyelids, a violaceous, pruritic, macular rash on his upper extremities and on his abdomen. Musculoskeletal exam was significant for severe axial (strength 2/5) and proximal (strength 3/5) muscleweakness with notable inability to sit unsupported or maintain head control. His neurologic exam was nonfocal;however, diffuse hyporeflexia in both upper and lower extremities were elicited. Initial screening labs were notable for mild transaminitis;positive ANA (1:80 in speckled pattern), negative ANCA, negative dsDNA/Anti- Sm, elevated aldolase of 10.3, CK 464, and LDH 665;normal thyroid studies and normal inflammatory markers. MRI with and without contrast of the spine indicated diffuse myositis of all muscle groups. Due to concern for autoimmune mediated myositis, Rheumatology was involved early in the patient's course. Empiric treatment was initiated early in the patient's presentation with IVIG, steroids, methotrexate, and plaquenil leading to gradual improvement in symptoms. Subsequent muscle biopsy was consistent with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). Conclusion(s): JDM is rare, occurring in 1 to 15 per million children. It classically presents with proximal myopathy and dermatologic findings of Gattron's papules, a heliotrope and malar rash. Its pathophysiology is not yet well defined but is thought to be a humoral mediated autoimmune disease. Muscle biopsies characteristically show perifascicular and perivascular infiltration. Early diagnosis and treatment with steroids, immune modulators, and physical therapy is critical to limit muscle atrophy. Viral infections are known triggers of rheumatologic diseases broadly;however, the more pronounced type 1 interferon response associated with COVID-19, which is known to be a driving pathway of JDM, may be a risk factor for severe, recalcitrant disease. Future research is needed to better identify involved pathophysiology and target future treatment efforts. Additionally, more education and case reports could focus on dermatologic presentations of individuals with pigmented skin. Copyright © 2023 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation.
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Background: Background: Due to the potential threat to nonhuman primates (NHP) the Primate Assay Laboratory (PAL), in collaboration with the National Primate Research Center (NPRC) Pathogen Detection Working Group (PDWG), was tasked with providing testing for SARS-CoV- 2 surveillance. Although some commercial and research reagents and protocols were available, none were well validated for use in NHP. Material(s) and Method(s): PAL formatted a panel of antigens for antibody detection using enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and multiplex microbead immunoassay (MMIA) platforms with historical (pre-2018) serum as negative controls;and serum from experimentally infected animals as positive controls. Using the initial MMIA, antibody was correctly identified in 16/16 samples from experimental infections (>10 days post inoculation);and specificity for spike (S), nucleocapsid (NC), receptor binding domain, and whole virus antigens was 96.2%, 94.0%, 94.6%, and 97.8%, respectively on surveillance samples. No samples were positive for both S and NC. Six PDWG laboratories compared this MMIA with nine additional laboratory developed or commercially available assays using shared panels of known positive and negative samples. Despite some variation, all assays demonstrated acceptable performance (www.nprcr esear ch.org/prima te/patho gen-detec tion/PDWG%20Web page%20Upd ate%20Mar ch%202021-SAH.pdf). Result(s): The PAL MMIA has been further refined for use as a two-step screen and confirm algorithm. No known positive samples have been missed. Of the last 1653 surveillance samples, 90 were MMIA screen reactive requiring EIA confirmatory testing. Twenty-three of 90 confirmatory tests were reactive to NC only and 1 to S only;all others were non-reactive. Parallel work validating virus detection methods was also performed. Conclusion(s): We validated accurate assays and a testing algorithm to detect SARS-CoV- 2 infection in nonhuman primates. Over 10 000 animals across the seven NPRC's have been tested, with no detection of spontaneous infections.
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Purpose : Acquiring high quality ophthalmic images typically requires a trained operator in close proximity to a patient. Motorized alignment can enable remote operation, e.g. for physical distancing during a pandemic, and automated alignment can enable quality imaging when a trained operator is not readily available, e.g. in low-resource environments. We evaluated and compared manual and automated operation of an ophthalmic device on a motorized stage. Methods : We acquired data on 5 normal subjects (10 eyes) by both manual (via a trained operator) and automated operation using a prototype with three off-axis iris cameras (one below and on each side of the device) and a 3-axis motorized stage (Fig. 1). The motorized stage allowed all data to be acquired with a plexiglass shield between the subject and operator for remote operation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Auto-alignment was achieved using custom software to align the device to the patient pupil, with real-time pupil detection via a deep-learning algorithm. Auto-capture was triggered once the pupil was detected at the target location. We evaluated alignment success rate (alignments that triggered a capture), mean ± SD time to align, and accuracy of alignment (mean ± SD distance between detected pupil center and target). Results : Of 24 auto-alignments (1-3 per eye), 23 successfully triggered a capture;1 failed due to a software bug. All 14 manual alignments (1-3 per eye) proceeded to capture. Time to align for auto-alignment (29 ± 15 s) was significantly faster than for manual alignment (72 ± 37 s). The accuracy of alignment was 0.94 ± 0.59 mm for auto and 0.97 ± 0.41 mm for manual operation. A two-sample t-test assuming independent alignments for auto and manual results did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference in accuracy (p > 0.05). Conclusions : This comparison of manual and auto-alignment and capture for a motorized device indicated that this auto-alignment method is 2.5x faster than motorized manual alignment, saving an average of 40 s per alignment. Auto-operation was comparable in accuracy, and reliable on normal eyes. While further investigations are needed for a clinical population, this method shows promise for utility in a clinical setting.
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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the types of information that were shared by the institution, and faculty/staff responses to the information shared, with the goal of providing recommendations for other institutions facing concurrent crises. Design/methodology/approach: This mixed-methods case study examines a public university's experiences managing the Covid-19 pandemic crisis while simultaneously navigating financial challenges that had been building over time. Using data from university-wide mediated communications and a survey of on-campus stakeholders during the Covid-19 pandemic and university retrenchment process, this paper explores institutional communication, stakeholder response to organizational communication and faculty/staff reactions to information in the midst of concurrent crises. Findings: The study found that the university used instructing and advising information within its messages from its top administrator but fell short of incorporating empathy for its stakeholders in its initial responses. Research limitations/implications: Using the situational crisis communication theory (Coombs, 2019), which recommends the use of an ethical base response to crises, implications are provided for other organizations facing concurrent crises during the Covid-19 pandemic, to also incorporate empathy in their messages to stakeholders whose livelihoods are being affected, across multiple platforms. Originality/value: Weathering the Covid-19 pandemic and long-term financial pitfalls have proven to be a disruptive phenomenon for higher education institutions. This research expands understanding of institutional communication and stakeholder reactions in a higher education institution facing both the Covid-19 crisis and a retrenchment. Peer review: The peer-review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-09-2020-0415. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.